Best degree for becoming a high-end home builder and or a commercial building builder?

Question

As the title says I m interested in becoming a high-end home builder and or during slow times a commercial building builder. I m currently an undergraduate at Texas Tech University in the pre-engineering department. My school has several options including bachelors in architecture, civil engineering, construction engineering, and business with a concentration in construction management. Which would be my best option for becoming a builder or general contractor. I want to be involved in the process of actually building the homes or commercial buildings. I m the thinking the construction engineering with a minor in architecture might be my best option or possibly civil engineering with a minor in construction engineering. I could always go back for a masters in construction management. Eventually I would like to have my own construction company. I know some might say you don t need a bachelors to start a construction company just a general contractors license, but I m very interested in obtaining a degree in one of the following options. Also if the economy goes south which degree would leave me with other options. My heart is really set on building homes in the United States until I retire. I will post the link for the ConE curriculum at the bottom. Any advice would be greatly appreciated also any combinations of degrees and minors would be very helpful. Thanks have a great day. http://www.depts.ttu.edu/ceweb/undergrad/cone/curriculum.php.

Answer 1

I live in a new home, built about 6 years ago on a military base. Guess who gets the contract for all the new housing the military needed? That's right, kids! The lowest bidder! My dryer vents to a closet in my garage. I've seen others who open a garage door a few inches at night and run the dryer. During the day, it's easier to just open the door full on. I worry too much about bears to leave my garage door open at night! I have taken my dryer vent out of the wall and placed some clean pantyhose over the exhaust tubing. It now vents into my own laundry room, pumping heat and much needed humidity into my home. In the summer, I will probably return the vent to the garage closet and put a sheet over the things I've stored in there. The lint piling up is too much. I mostly use the drying rack in the summer, but this new washer leaves my clothes so dry and wrinkly, that I've been using the dryer a little more often.

Answer 2

Your link led me to "page not found," but I'm inclined to agree with you that construction engineering would be the most suitable for your career plan. Civil engineering is a more general major and certainly in great demand, but would teach you more about fluid mechanics and hydrology than you probably need to know.

Answer 3

I don't think your choice is critical. Most of those degrees could lead to your ultimate goal. I say this because I have known a civil, a chemical and a mechanical engineer all of whom became very successful building contractors.

Answer 4

"business with a concentration in construction management"

I think if you research, the mix of high end and commercial will really tie you down - commercial buildings take a lot of time and tie up money and crews.